Train-stopping apparatus.



G. E. LABIT. TRAIN/sToPPmG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I, 1914. 1,146,081 Patented July 13, 1915.

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G. E. LAB|T.

TRAIN STOPPING APPARATUS. APPLlcAloNfrlLED1u.LY1,1914.

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Patented July 13, 1915.

- G. E. LABIT.

TRAIN-STOPPING APPARATUS.

.APPLICATION FILEDIULY1.1914.

1, 146,081 Patented July 13, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GIRARD ELABIT, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS.

TRAIN-STOPPING AJPPARATUS.

Specioation of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1915.

Original application filed November 28, 1913, Serial No. 803,262.Divided and thi application illed July 1,

1914. Serial No. 848,437.` Y

ing application filed November 26, 1913, Se-

rial No. 803,262.

In carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to provide atrack instrument for automatic train stopping apparatus which will befound especially useful in conjunction with the block signaling systemof the railroad and which will embody1v among other features an obstaclecapable of movement to active and inactive positions and under thecontrolof the adjacent road signal, and means whereby the obstacle maybel swung to inactive position against the holding action of the signalso that should it be desired that the train enter the danger zone, asfor instance, for the purpose of assisting a stalled train, the trackwalker or member of the train crew may throw the obstacle to inactiveposition, means being also employed whereby the obstacle may bedepressed under a weight or load thereby preventing mutilation of theobstacle in the event of a timber falling upon or striking the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a track instrument of theclass described which will operate e'fliciently and effectively underall conditions and whichv may beinstalled and maintained at a minimumexpense.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter set forthin and falling within the Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional viewon the line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view ofadetail of the instrument. Fig. 8 is a similar view of another detail.Fig. 9 is an enlarged fra mentary sectional view through the obstacl andassociated parts. Fig. 10 is a sectional view on the line 10-10 of Fig.9. Fig. 11 is a similar view on the line 11-11 of Fig. 9.

My invention is particularly designed for use in conjunction with theblock signal systems now in general use, although I wish it to beunderstood that the invention in its application is not limited to usewith any particular type of road signal system.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, A designates thetrack instruments, one of such instruments being located adjacent to theentrance to each block of the trackway. Each track instrument comprisesa base plate 1 composed of any suitable4 material and preferablyrectangular in contour and provided at the opposite ends thereof withcasings or housings 2, 3. Uprising from the upper surfaces of the base 1and extending through the top walls of the housings 2, 3 are standards4, 4 and mounted upon the upper extremities of the standards 4, 4 is ahousing or casing 5. Journaled in the opposite side walls of the casing2 is a shaft 6 carrying. a. pinion 7 and meshing with the pinion 7 is arack bar 8 slidably mounted within a suitable guide upon the bottom wallof the casing. Pivoted between its ends upon the base 1 at one side ofthe casing 2 is a lever 9 having the inner end thereof working within aslot 10.

formed in the adjacent side Wall of the casing'2 and pivotally connectedto the adjacent extremity of the rack bar 8, and the opposite endthereof connected in some suitable manner to the adjacent signal bladeso that when the blade moves to danger position the lever will be swungin one direction and in the opposite direction when the blade moves toclear. Formed ,in the opposite side walls of the casing 2 adjacent tothe inner end thereof are alining slots 11 and extending outwardly ofthe casing by way of such slots and working therein is a yoke 12 havinga stem 13 disposed within the casing and formed with rack teeth 14meshing with the pinion 7 while secured above and below each slot 11 areguides 15 slidably receiving a plate 16 connected to the respective limbof A the yoke 12 and serving to guide the yoke and s tem and at the sametime prevent the entrance of dust and other foreign matter to theinterior of the casing. Pivotally connected to the opposite side wallsof the casing 5 andA depending therefrom in proximity to the inner endof the casing 2 are arms 17, 17 and journaled in theA lower ends of said,arms is a shaft 18 having the opposite ends thereof projecting beyondthe `arins and the central portion formed to provide7 a crank 19.Depending from the outer extremities of the shaft 18 and rigidly securedthereto are links 20 having the lower. ends thereof pivotally connectedto the limbs of the yoke Y 12. Upstanding from the bottom ofthe casing 4above the casing 2 1s a pivot post 21 and pivotally connected to`v suchpostwis one extremlty of a channeled casting 22V capable of swingingmovement into and out of the casing 5 byway of an elongated slot 23formed in the top wall of such casing. Arranged transversely of thecasing 5 adjacent to the end thereof. opposite from the pivot post 21 isa shaft 24 passed through a slot 25 formed in one end of a strip 26, theopposite end of such strip being formed with an outwardlyiprojectingpivot knuckle disposed between the opposite side walls of the channeledcasting 22 and formed with a bore alining with apertures 27 formed inthe side walls of such casting to receive a pivot pin 28 whereby apivotal connection between the strip 26 and the channeled casting isestablished. Working within the channeled casting 22 is an obstaclecomprising, in the present instance, side walls 29, 29 spaced apart inparallelism and interconnected at I the opposite ends thereof by meansof blocks 30, 30. rlhe side walls 29, 29 at one end of the obstacle areformed with pivot lugs alin. ing with the bore in the pivot knuckle onthe strip 25 and the openings in the adjacent end of the casting 22 tovreceive the pivot pin 28, the adjacent end of the block 30 being formedwith a concaved seat to receive the pivot knuckle on the strip 26. TheAupper edges of the opposite side walls 29 of the obstacle divergedownwardly from the cen-y 'ter of the latter toward the ends thereof anddownwardly to form pivot ears 33, as clearly illustrated Fig. 9 of thedrawings, and between the ears 33 is pivoted the lower end of atriplever 34 having the upper end incensi i thereof formed with a slotthrough which is screws 37 carrying at their inner ends heads 38 andinterposed between each head 38 and the adjacent side of the trip leveris a coiled expansion spring 39,such springs counteracting each other tomaintain the trip lever in normal position, that is at a pointapproximately centrally of the side walls of the obstacle.

1n the present instance, the. springs 39 are mounted upon axiallyalining guide pins carried by the respective heads 38 and thecorresponding sides of the trip lever 34 and the confronting ends ofthese pins are spaced apart suiiicient distances to enable the triplever to have free play against the action of the springs 39 when suchlever is struck. These pins are shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings and byinspecting this iigure, it will be observed that the confronting endsofthe pins are sui'liciently spaced apart to enable this movement of thetrip lever. By means of this construction, it will be seen that whenpressure is applied to the trip lever 34, from either direction, suchlever Lwill swing about its pivotal connection with the ears 33 againstthe action of one of the springs 39, according to the direction .ofmovement of the trip lever, the slot formed in the trip lever permittingthe latter to swing in an arc of a circle relatively to the strip ,35.Arranged transversely of the casting 22 and secured to the side wallsthereof adjacent to the end connected to the strip 26 is a rod 39a andsurrounding the rod is a sleeve 39b provided with depending pivot ears39c spaced apart and having the openings therein alining with aperturesformed in pivot ears 40 carried by the upper end of an inverted U-shapedyoke 41 to receive a pivot rod 39d. Fixed to thev lower extremities ofthe limbs of the yoke 41 is a block 42 and secured to the block andprojecting upwardly into the yoke are rods 43, 43 spaced apart inparallelism. Slidably mounted upon the rods 43, 43 is a movable block 44normally resting upon the stationary block 42, while surrounding therods are coiled expansion springs 45 having the lower ends thereofabutting the blocks 44 and the upper ends in engagement with the undersurface of the interconnecting member of the yoke 41. Uprising from ,themovable block 44Abetween the rods 43 are ears 45 connected through themedium of a link 46 with one end of a lever 47 pivoted as at 48 to abracket 49 depending from the under alsace; l

surface of the casing 5, the lever 47 being l blade connected to thelever 9 is thrown to danger position, such lever swings about itsfulcrum and through the medium of the rack bar 8 rotates the pinion 7and so slides the stem 13 outwardly of the casing 2. In the outwardmovement of the stem 13 the plates 16 slide within. the guides 15, whilethe' yoke 12 moves to rotate the shaft 18 within-the lower extremitiesof the arms 19 and so swing the lever 47 upwardly about the pivot 48thereby transmittingmotion through the medium of the block 44 .andsprings 43 to the yoke 41. In the upward movement of the yoke 41, thechanneled casting 22 and the obstacle therein as Well as the strip 26lareA moved relatively to one another and elevated to the position shown1n Flg. 7. In

this position of the parts the obstacle is active and the end of suchobstacle connected to the strip 26 is held normally spaced apart fromthe lower wall Aof the channeled casting bv means of a leaf spring 51interposed between the under surface 'of the adjacent block 30 and thebottom wall of the casting.

Should a timber .or other load or weight fall upon the obstacle abovethe Spring 51, the latter will give and so permit the obstacle to swinginto the casting 22 and in the event of the weight or load beingexceptionally heavy, the obstacle and the casting 22 will swing into thecasing 5 irrespective of the holding action exerted upon the obstacle bythe pinion 7, stem 13, yoke 12, links 20, shaft 19 and lever 47, thesprings 43 compressing against the block 44 in the downward movement ofthe yoke 41 and the block 42, the block 44 being held stationaryincident to the lever 47 being held stationary incident to theconnection between the latter and the rack bar 12.

In some instances, as, for instance, where a. motor car or train isstalled in a block, it may be desired to admit a second motor car ortrain into the block so as to assist the stalled car and when such isdesired the obstacle and channeled casting 22 are swung into the casing5 tov inactive position. In order to so swing the obstacle and casting,I employ a mechanism comprising a pinion 52 mounted upon a shaft 53journaled in the opposite side walls of the casing 3 and meshing with arack bar 54 slidably mounted within suitable guides upon the bottom wallof the casing 3.

Pivoted upon the base 1 at one side of the casing 3 is a lever 55 havingthe inner end thereof connected with the rack bar 54 and the outer endadapted to be operated by shaft 57 hand or power so as to swing thelever about its fulcrum and so slide the rack 'bar 54 within the casing3. A second rack bar 55 is mounted within the casing 3 and meshes withthe pinion 52 and has secured to one end thereof a yoke 54 workingwithin slots 55" formed in' the opposite side walls of the casing 3, yguard plates 56 being secured to the opposite limbs of the yoke andsliding withm guides 57, 57 on the opposite sides of the casing aboveand below the slots therein, such plates performing the dual function ofshields or guards to prevent the entrance of dust and other foreignmatter to the casin 3 and supports or guides for the yoke 54 and rack55. The outer extremities of the yoke 54 are fastened to the ends ofarms 56 fixed to and depending'from a shaft 57 rotatably mounted withinbearings carried by brackets 58 depending from the bottom of the casing.5, the center .portion of the belng provided with a crank 59 workingwithin a slot 60 formed in a link 61 having the upper end thereofpivotally connected as at 62 to the under surface of the strip 6. Bymeans of this construction, 1t will be seen that when the lever 55 isswung one direction, the rack 54 will limpart motlon to the pinion 52and so draw the rack bar 55 into thecasing 3 whereby the arms 56 willrotate the shaft 57 and so draw the link 61 downwardly so that the strip26, the casting 22 and the obstacle will b e `drawn into the casing 5 toinactive position.` By means of the slot 60, the strip 26, casting 22and obstacle are enabled to move to Inactive position freely when atimber or the like falls upon or engages the obstacle as previouslydescribed. r

flhe track instruments have control over sultable car carried stoppingmechanism such, for instance, as that lllustrated in my copendingapplication hereinbefore referred to.

While I have herein shown and described one/preferred form of myinvention by way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I donot limit or confine myself to the precise details of constructionherein described and delineated, as modification andvarlation may bemade within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

I claim:

1. A track instrument of the class described comprising an obstaclecapable of movement to active and inactive positions, means for swingingthe same to and holding the same inactive position, means whereby saidobstacle may be depressed under a load or weight independently of saidholding means, and means whereby said obstacle may be swung manually toinactive position against the holding action .of said first means. v

swinging movement to active and inactive4 positions, a horizontal shaft,a pinionjfast on said shaft, a rack bar meshing with said pinion, asecond rack bar meshing with said pinion, connections between said l'astrack bar and obstacle, whereby the latter will be swung to activeposition in the movement of said pinion, and means for actuating saidfirst rack par to rotate said pinion.

4L. A track instrument 'of the class described comprising an obstaclecapable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, ahorizontal shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft, a rack bar meshing withsaid pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, a yieldableconnection between said last rack bar and obstacle, whereby the lat' terwill be swung to active position in the movement of said pinion, andmeans for actuating said first rack bar to rotate said pinion. v

5. A track instrument of the class described comprising an obstaclecapable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, ahorizontal shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft, a rack bar meshing withsaid pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, a yokeconnected to said last rack bar, a connection between said shaft andyoke whereby in the movement of the latter under the action of saidpinion, said shaft will be rocked, a lever capable of swinging movement,a connection between said shaft andr lever, a connection between saidlever and obstacle, and means for actuating said first rack bar torotate said pinion.

6. A track instrument of the class` described comprising an obstaclecapable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, ahorizontal shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft,'a rack bar meshing withsaid pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, ayoke connectedto said last rack bar, a connection between said shaft and yoke wherebyin the movement of the latter under the action of said pinion, saidshaft incensi will be rocked, a lever capable of swinging movement, aconnection between said shaft 60 and lever, a yieldable connectionbetween said lever and obstacle, 'and means for actuating said irst rackbar to rotate said pinion whereby said obstacle may be` swung to activeand mactive positions.

'7. A track instrument of the class described comprising an obstaclecapable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, ahorizontal shaft, a pinion fast on said shaft, a` rack bar meshing withsaid pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, a yokeconnected to said last Arack bar, a connection between said shaft andyoke whereby in the movement of the latter under the action of saidpinion, said shaft will be rocked, a lever capable of swinging movement,a connection between said shaft and lever, a yieldable connectionbetween said leverand obstacle, means for actuating vsaid first rackV4bar to rotate said pinion whereby said obstacle may be swung to activeand inactive positions, and means for swinging said obstacle to inactiveposition independently of the connections between said pinion andobstacle. y

8. A track' instrument of the class described comprising an obstaclecapable of swinging movement to active and inactive positions, ahorizontal shaft a pinion fast on said shaft, a rack bar meshing withsaid pinion, a second rack bar meshing with said pinion, a yokeconnected to said last rack bar, a connection between said shaft andyoke whereby in the movement of the latter under the action of saidpinion, said shaft will be rocked, a lever capable of swinging movement,a connection between said shaft and lever, a yieldable connectionbetween said lever and obstacle, means for actuating said first rack barto rotate said pinion whereby said obstacle may be swung to active andinactive positions, a pinion, a rack bar meshing with said pinion,connections between said last rack bar and obstacle, and means forrotating said last pinion whereby the connections between said last rackbar and obstacle will eXert a pull upon the obstacle to render thelatter inactive independently of the connections between the obstacleand the first-mentioned pinion.

In testimony whereof l aHiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GIRARD E. LABlT. Witnesses:

F. C. PUGH, J. ZIEGLER.

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